"It's me and you, now

I've been waiting

Think I wanna make that move, now

Baby, tell me if you like it

It's me and you, now

I've been waiting

Think I wanna make that move, now

Baby, tell me if you like it"

An amused chuckle was heard directed at a certain redhead who was cheerfully humming and bobbing her head to the song playing from the car radio.

“You're so cute, you know?” The driver commented, reaching her hand out to pinch the redhead's cheek.

The lady in passenger seat paused singing and looked to her side with a slight smirk, “I know. You always tell me that.”

“Cocky.”

“And you love me.”

“Well, can't deny that.”

With that, the air in the silver SUV was filled with warm laughter between the two lovebirds.

“You think we'll be on time?” asked Tiffany the redhead, glancing at her watch and then the dark surroundings through the vehicle window.

“No worries, babe,” her lover assured, “It's only 8:51, so we're still like 10 minutes away. Besides, who starts a Christmas eve party without their best friends?”

Tiffany nodded, agreeing with her remark.

Their SUV was running swiftly and smoothly on the broad highway until it reached an intersection and stopped at the red light.

“Hi, Jon!” Tiffany cheerfully answered the call from Johnny, their best friend and the party host, “Yes, we're almost there. Like only a few blocks away. Uh huh. Why, thanks! She loves them the most!”

As Tiffany went on to talk about the food at the party with Johnny on the call, her girlfriend pulled the gear as the light turned green.

“What-“ the woman at the driver seat exclaimed  when she noticed a truck was driving in full speed passing the red light from the other side of the main road, right toward their car and toward Tiffany's side of the seat to be exact.

Tiffany dropped her phone and covered her eyes with her arms in shock when she noticed bright light coming towards her direction, nearly blinding her eyes.

“WATCH OUT, TIFFANY!!”

And then, she felt hands forcefully pulling hers and a body hugging her own from above, completely covering her before loud crashing noises roared.

“AAAHHHHHH!”

Tiffany jump-sat on the bed when she realized she woke up in the middle of the night. Her whole body was drenched in sweat, heart beating wildly and fingertips and toes numb and cold.

She put her palm on her chest in hope to calm herself down. Then she dragged her weak feet to grab a glass of water in the kitchen.

It still feels fresh as new. She realized as she gulped the ice water down. The flashbacks always visit her in her dreams around this time of the year, never failing to remind her of the tragedy. It’s not like she ever wanted to forget it anyway.

“Erika. Rest in heaven on 24-12-2006.”

The words on the memorial stared back at her as Tiffany stood before it motionlessly.

“16 years, can you believe it?” she muttered, to no one else but the smiling girl in the photo on the tomb.

“I don't know how those 16 years passed when everything is still alive, your eyes, your smiles, your embraces,” she paused, her voice shaking a little as her eyes became watery, “and your love for me.”

“You're an utter fool, you know?” her words continue to tremble as tears roll down her cheeks, “In those very few seconds, how could you even think of saving me? Did you think I'd live on so well after you did that?” she spoke, vividly remembering how Erika pulled her to the other side during the accident and covered her body on hers so that Tiffany would be protected from the impact to an extent.

When Tiffany woke up in the hospital, everyone around her was looking at her with sorrowful and teary eyes. As a result of the accident, her one arm and leg each broke and she got bruises all over her body. But she was still left alive. Fortunately or unfortunately, she didn't know. And when she was informed of the loss of her sweetheart, sh